Adventures in Parenting
by SapphireCuatro
Summary: Through their own carelessness, Haru and Rin have found themselves as parents. But raising a kid isn't as easy as it seems---especially when the other Zodiac members try to help. HIATUS.
1. Welcoming the Newest Sohma

Ahem. Greetings! This story is actually the sequel to my other story The Ties That Bind, but I tried to write it so that it could also serve as a stand-alone fic. Reading the first story isn't vital to understanding this one, so no worries there. Anyway, this features one of my favorite pairings, Rin and Haru.

Disclaimer: I do not own Furuba in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

Synopsis

Haru and Rin found themselves in an unexpected predicament with the discovery that Rin was pregnant. And thus, due to their own carelessness, the lovers found themselves as prospective parents. At the conclusion of The Ties That Bind, they were the parents of a baby girl. This is the sequel to that.

..

Rin was trapped. There was no escape, not this time. She'd been outwitted. She was now stuck with the worst fate imaginable.

Alone.

In a room.

With Kagura and Tohru.

Was there no justice in the world?

"So how are you feeling, Isuzu-san? Do you want me to get you anything? I don't mind. It's really no trouble at all", said Tohru.

"I'm sure she's tired out! Has Haru-chan been doing his fair share of the work? Because if he's been forcing all the work on you and Shihan, then I'll have to have a _talk_ with him", said Kagura. She cracked her knuckles.

_Wha…what kind of talk is she planning to have?! _

"Sorry to keep you waiting, ladies…"

It was Haru.

"There you are, Haru-chan! I was starting to wonder where you'd--_oh, she's so adorable!!" _

"This…this is yours and Isuzu-san's daughter?" asked Tohru, "Mariko-san?"

"Let me hold her!" cried Kagura. She and Tohru had lost interest in Rin (much to Rin's relief) and were now swarming around Haru, who was holding the baby.

"I…I would also be honored to hold Mariko-san!" cried Tohru.

"What makes you think you can be trusted with her?" asked Rin, "It's not like either one of you has any experience with babies."

"Isuzu-chan! I can take care of a baby!" Kagura took Mariko out of Haru's arms.

Rin was livid. "You…! You've got nerve…! What makes you think I would want _you_ to touch my baby?!"

"Aww, see…she likes me…I'll be like her aunt. I'll be the one who dotes on her and brings her candy!"

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that for a while", Haru said.

"Oh…um…if it's all right, may _I_ hold Mariko-san?" asked Tohru.

"No!" snapped Rin.

"All right, here you go. But you'd better not drop her", said Kagura.

_My kid…is being handed around like it's some relay race! _If Rin gripped the chair any harder, it might have broken.

"This'll be so much fun. Oh, I was going to go buy some adorable clothes for her to celebrate", said Kagura.

"Don't bother!" snapped Rin.

"Sure, that's fine", said Haru.

"Haruuuu…" Rin replied.

Rin scowled. Then:

"What the hell? Why are you crying?!"

Tohru sniffled. "I…I'm not meaning to…it's just…she's so cute…and I am honored that you would let me hold her, Isuzu-san…!"

Rin's face was flushed. "You…you're so weird! Stop that crying, dammit! It's embarrassing!"

"Yes…I'll…try…"

"I said stop it!"

"Hey, stop picking on her!" said Kagura.

"Shut up!"

"Why are they all yelling? What's the matter?" asked Kazuma, coming into the room.

"It's nice to see Rin getting along so well with others", Haru replied.

"You'd better get Mariko. She's gotten caught in the middle."

"So it seems…"

* * *

Part of the reason I took so long to write this sequel was because I couldn't decide what the baby's name would be. I finally just decided to leave it at Mariko. I hope that's a sufficient name.

Anyway, I realize that this chapter was short and mostly dialogue. But in the coming chapters, other Zodiac members will also make appearances! I just didn't really want to cram them all in one chapter.


	2. Cat and Rat

I'm terribly sorry for the ridiculously long delay. You could say I went on a brief hiatus. Anyway, I'll try to update this more regularly from now on.

* * *

"Oh. Great. You again?" Rin snapped.

"Ah, Isuzu-san, you're rocking Mariko-san to sleep. That's so adorable..." said Tohru.

"Shut up. It is not."

"Come on, Kyo-kun. Come see Mariko-san." Tohru went around the corner. When she came back into the room, she was pulling Kyo in by his arm.

"You brought Kyo?" asked Rin. Then she saw Yuki trail in after them. "And the rat, too."

"Why'd you drag us here, anyway?" queried Kyo.

"Good question", said Rin.

Tohru replied, "You mean...you don't want to meet Mariko-san?"

Kyo was embarrassed. "No! It's not that I don't want to! I'm happy to meet her!"

"We seem to be intruding", Yuki pitched in.

"You are", Rin agreed.

"Um, are you the only one home?" queried Tohru.

"No", called Haru from the kitchen, "I'm here." He came into the room carrying a watermelon. "So my ears didn't deceive me. Hello, Yuki."

"Hello", Yuki replied. Haru came up to him and gave him the watermelon.

"For you."

"Um...thank you, but...are you sure you can give this away?"

"Haru..." Rin murmured.

"Oh, sorry Rin. Yuki, Rin likes watermelon."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She likes to eat sweet things."

"It's true! She likes gelatin especially!" said Tohru.

"Sh...shut up!" said Rin, "I hate sweet things, and I hate gelatin!"

"She's embarrassed", said Haru.

"I am not!"

"So, how long are you going to stay?" queried Haru.

"Oh! Um! Not that long! I mean, that is...it's not as though I was intending to impose on you...!" said Tohru.

"If you were that worried about it, then why did you bother coming over in the first place?!" Rin snapped, "And why did you bring these two with you?!"

"This is Shishou's house!" said Kyo, "If you have a problem with me coming over, then move the hell out!"

Haru came up right behind Kyo. "Hush, Kyo. You'll wake the baby."

"Why are you so close to me?" Kyo hissed.

"I'm putting Mariko to bed before you idiots wake her up", said Rin coldly, and left.

...

The three visitors were still there when Kazuma came home.

"Oh? This is unexpected."

"Shishou-san!" said Tohru, "I'm so sorry! We didn't tell you we were coming!"

"It's fine. I don't really mind."

"So do you _like_ having a baby around the house?" asked Kyo.

"It's a new experience", said Kazuma, "I feel like a grandfather. And here I had thought I wouldn't have to worry about that until after Tohru-san married."

Kyo blinked. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Are you really that stupid?" asked Yuki.

"Shut up! He was unclear!"

A look of enlightenment came over Tohru's face. "Oh! I understand, Shishou-san." She held Kyo's hand. "I would love to get married someday!"

Kyo looked frustrated. "What, even _Tohru_ gets it?! What are you talking about, Shishou?"

"Kyo-kun!" said Tohru urgently, "He wasn't expecting grandkids until you and I get married!"

"M...married?" Kyo blushed. "I'm not ready!!" He bumped his knee on the kitchen table as he scrambled away from it, then tripped as he clambered to his feet. "N...no offense, but I don't think I'm ready to take the next step..._I'm not ready!! I don't want to get married yet!!" _

"Kyo...you really know how to break a woman's heart. It's every girl's dream to get married", said Haru, who stood in front of Kyo.

"Damn, you just pop out of nowhere!"

"You do have a way of sneaking up on people", Yuki conceded.

Haru kneeled down behind Tohru. "Look at her face, Kyo! Telling her you don't want to marry her!" His face was inches from Tohru's. "It's okay. I'll mend your broken heart."

"Should you really be saying stuff like that when you've already been claimed?" wondered Yuki, while Kyo pitched in with a "Stop saying filthy things, you bastard!!"

"It's only filthy if you choose to see it that way", said Haru, "You must have a filthy mind."

"Yes, filthy", Yuki agreed.

"Why do I even bother talking to you people?!"

"Kyo is sulking", said Haru.

"Yes, sulking", Yuki agreed.

"Stop gossiping about me! I'm standing right here!"

"He says we're gossiping", said Haru.

"Yes, gossiping", Yuki agreed.

"_KNOCK IT OFF_!"

In another part of the house, they heard a baby crying.

There was dead silence.

Then Haru said, "The horse'll run you down. You'd better get a head start."

* * *

And that's all. Not to sound demanding, but R&R please.


	3. What's Wrong with the Baby?

Here's Chapter 3. Tohru's been appearing a lot. But I can't really write her if she's the main character---her appearances can only be as a side character.

* * *

"Ah…oh my…" said Tohru. She didn't want to be rude and cover her ears, but that piercing wail threatened to break her eardrums.

"I'm sorry it's so loud. When the baby isn't sleeping, she's crying", said Kazuma.

"How long has it been like this?" asked Tohru.

"All day", Kazuma replied. He looked tired.

"But why? Mariko-san's always seemed like such a good-natured baby."

"Not today", Kazuma sighed, "You came to visit, Tohru-san? Come in."

Tohru entered the house, and the sound of Mariko's crying seemed amplified.

"Hatsuharu and Isuzu are in Mariko's room", said Kazuma, and he left.

"Oh! Where are you going, Shishou-san?" called Tohru.

"I'll be back in a little while. Please make yourself at home, Tohru-san", he said back to her.

Tohru went to Mariko's nursery. Rin was holding Mariko and muttering things under her breath, and Haru was nowhere in sight.

Rin sent her a nasty look as soon as she entered. "Look, you! This isn't a good time!"

"Oh, her nose is running!" said Tohru, and she began looking around for something to wipe it with.

Rin seemed relieved that Tohru had noticed this so quickly. "Her nose has been running since yesterday…I think there's something wrong with her."

"Oh, is it serious?" Tohru picked up Mariko's binky where it had been spat on the floor and put it in her mouth. The baby sucked it loudly but quieted her cries.

"She won't stay quiet for very long", said Rin, "She'll spit it out and then start up again."

Tohru was barely paying attention to her. "Isuzu-san, don't you have a rag, or a cloth, or _something_ that I can wipe her nose with…?"

"Here, just use a tissue."

Haru handed one to her. He stood in the doorway, shirtless.

"Haru!" said Rin, "Why are you walking around half-naked?"

"Oh", said Haru, "After Mariko barfed on me earlier, I went in the bathroom and took off my shirt. But I can't find a clean one…I've been looking around…"

"I can't believe you've been walking around like that", she muttered in embarrassment, "Especially in front of _her_."

"It's not like she's never seen me shirtless before", he replied, "Back when we could transform, all I had to do was give her a hug and then she could see more of me than just my chest. And she lived with three Jyuunishi. Who knows how much of _them_ she saw? She's probably immune to nudity by now."

"Well, um, that's not exactly…" Tohru stammered.

"Haru…" Rin somehow managed to spit out his name between clenched teeth.

"There you go, Mariko-san", said Tohru as she wiped the baby's nose. She went to go throw the tissue away.

"Why did you get a tissue? You don't use a tissue for a baby", said Rin.

"Why not?"

"I don't know, it doesn't seem right. Don't babies need special stuff?"

"Hmm…it doesn't address this issue in any of the parenting books I read…"

Mariko spat out her binky and started crying again.

"I think she's sick", said Haru, "I called Hatori."

"You _what_?!"

…

When there was a Sohma in need, he was there!

A neighbor of Kazuma's was innocently watering her garden when she spotted him. Pink tinged her cheeks. Such a handsome man! _Two_ handsome men, to be exact! And they were going to Sohma-san's house! Was it a gathering of good-looking men? Oh, and one of them was a doctor. She'd have to find out where his office was. She hadn't been feeling well lately, she needed a checkup anyway…

"Hatori-san!" said Tohru as she answered the door. She saw that Hatori was not alone.

"Tohru-kun!" Hatori's companion greeted her, "Lovely day isn't it?"

"I already told you that you didn't need to come", growled Hatori.

"Oh, I don't mind. I haven't seen Rin and Haa-kun in a while anyway. Think they'll be happy to see me?"

…

"Tori-nii, there's something behind you!" cried Rin in horror.

"He insisted on coming. I couldn't shake him."

"Oh, come now, that's not nice", said Shigure, "I wanted to come see Mariko-chan."

Mariko was in another calm spell.

"There's something wrong with her", said Rin, "She's been crying a lot and her nose has been running like crazy."

"And she puked on me", said Haru.

"Is that a symptom?" asked Hatori.

"No, she does that occasionally anyway", Rin replied.

"Haa-kun", said Shigure, "Why are you half-naked?" He shook his head and tsked. "Here Mariko-chan was just born. Don't you think it's best to wait a couple years before you try to give her a sibling?"

"It's not like that!" said Rin, "But he's obviously gone blind, since he says he can't find any clean shirts. Tori-nii, you should examine him."

"Put Mariko in the crib. I'll look at her", said Hatori, who wasn't in the mood for idiocy.

Rin did so, then grabbed Haru by the arm and led him out of the room, saying, "I bet I'll find some of your clothes lying in plain sight. You're totally blind…"

"Ah, lovers", said Shigure, "They may be parents, but they're still children. Such immature arguing, and over something so petty. Adult relationships are much more mature."

Hatori gave him a look. "Then I guess you're still a child."

"Why do you say that? Are you possibly referring to Akito and me? Well, I willadmit that there a couple of times I acted somewhat immature…"

"Only a couple?"

"No need to be rude. Akito was partly to blame too, you know. But speaking of her, I told her about the birth of Mariko-chan. She expressed some interest in coming over to say hello."

Hatori actually looked surprised. "Is that really a good idea?"

"When Akito gets something in her head, there's not much I can do to stop her."

"You don't sound like you've been trying very hard."

…

Meanwhile, Rin had to admit defeat.

"I can't believe you don't have any clean clothes anywhere in the house. Go back to your hosue and get some right now!"

"Okay", said Haru and went towards the front door.

"Not dressed like that!" Rin grabbed his shoulder to stop him. "Tohru! Have you had any luck?"

"Um…no…" came the meek reply.

"…I'm cold", said Haru.

"Why didn't you mention that earlier?!"

"Here's a blanket", said Tohru, handing it to Rin.

Rin draped it over Haru's shoulders. "That'll do until we get some laundry done."

"Rin", said Haru, pulling her close to him, "I'm so proud of you."

"Um…why?"

"You called Tohru 'Tohru' to her face."

Rin thought about this a moment. She looked over at Tohru. Tohru looked thrilled.

Her face colored with embarrassment. "It…it's not like it means anything! You don't have to make a big deal! Come on, I want to hear Tori-nii's diagnosis."

The three went back into the nursery. Shigure was holding Mariko and Hatori was getting ready to leave.

"So what's wrong with Mariko?" asked Haru.

"Mariko is afflicted by…"

"Yeah?" said Rin.

"…a cold."

"A cold? That's it?!" said Rin.

"Yes. A simple cold."

"Aw, Mariko-chan likes Uncle!" said Shigure.

"She's not even crying", said Tohru.

"Sensei…she seems fond of you", said Haru.

"Gure-nii, you've corrupted her already?!" said Rin.

"Well…_everyone_ likes Uncle!"

* * *

I know for sure that Akito didn't appear in The Ties That Bind...I don't remember if Shigure and Hatori appeared in person or not...I don't think so...


End file.
